Top Five Action Setpieces of the 2010's
Action scenes aren't what they used to be; in a world full of CGI armies and faceless men, the truly great action scenes always stick out for their return to basics. A good director can make a good action scene; a great director makes a necessary one. And no franchise feels as essential to have as an action film as Mission Impossible, and the next entry has finally arrived. With Mission Impossible: Fallout debuting this week, it's time to take a moment to truly appreciate how important and vital action scenes are to make good movies great. 5. "The Airport Fight" - Captain America: Civil War (2016, dir. by Anthony and Joseph Russo) Watching all of one's favorite heroes clash on the big screen never gets old, but no film has brought the enjoyment and scale up to the level that Captain America: Civil War managed to do. Built up from the conflict that has been brewing since the two characters first met, the rivalling factions of Iron Man and Captain America explode into inventive and spectacular combat that maintains the weight of the film but still keeps up the fun and energy of the MCU brand. These characters come first, so watching the way their fighting styles and personalities mesh with each other comes across more as a disagreement than real fight, only to end on a dark note that sets the pace for the rest of the film. Standout Moment: Giant Man 4. "The Hallway Fight" - Inception (2010, dir. by Christopher Nolan) The beautiful aspect about the hallway fight in Inception is that viewers are essentially getting two action setpeices for the price of one. As Christopher Nolan and Lee Smith switch between a standard car chase and a stadard fight scene, they merge them together in order to elevate them both. While something as routine (in action movies) as a car flip isn't new, the audience gets to see a breathtaking effect it has as the weight of what is occurring is visualized. As the slow motion flips the unconscious passengers in the air, the entire building with Arthur's mind begins to lose gravity and alter viewers' perception. This doesn't even take into account the choreography and technical achievements required to pull off the fight scene, but it's Nolan's decision to even make that choice and Smith's integration of the car chase that make it iconic and memorable. Standout Moment: The Initial Spin 3. "The Throne Room Fight" - Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017, dir. by Rian Johnson) Although the action scenes are few and far between during Star Wars: The Last Jedi, they compensate by their sheer spectacle and level of filmmaking skill they often display. Standing out tall is the moment Kylo Ren and Rey briefly join forces to take on the guards of the now dead Supreme Leader Snoke. The storytelling of the action scene is even more noteworthy than the fight itself, as the characters of Kylo and Rey are both brought into a physical form. The way the two characters contrast as they fight is astounding- while Rey's swordsmanship is sluggish and amateur, she attacks with precision and blocks, versus Kylo's noticeable skill with his lightsaber and combat highlighting his brutal, animalistic attacks as he viciously tears his enemies apart. Johnson doesn't put his focus just on them, but also makes the weapons of the guards interesting and unique to give new challenges to the two as they fight on. Standout Moment: Rey Tosses Kylo Her Lightsaber 2. "The Motorcycle Gang Chase" - Mad Max: Fury Road (2015, dir. by George Miller Let the record show that this movie is inevitably insane from start to finish, with the adrenaline never stopping. While the Desert Storm and Max's Escape Attempt are certainly highlights in the beginning, the most storytelling through action is accomplished in the midpoint canyon chase. Watching Furiosa and Max, previously enemies and reluctant travel companions, work in sync to defend the War Rig is a truly harrowing moment. The scene takes the time to set up Max and Furiosa as skilled combatants, but even more dangerous when teamed up together. As motorcylces around them attempt to stop the War Rig, Furiosa's precise rifle shots cascade beautifully against Max's rapid fire pistol rounds, all set to the heart-stopping score of Junkie XL. Standout Moment: Max & Furiosa Both Shoot A Rider Honorable Mentions *"Logan and Laura in the Forest" - Logan (2017, dir. by James Mangold) *"Train Opening Fight" - Skyfall (2012, dir. by Sam Mendes) *"Airplane Rescue" - The Dark Knight Rises (2012, dir. by Christopher Nolan) *"Lee versus Gunner" - The Expendables (2010, dir. by Sylvester Stallone) *"Church Massacre" - Kingsmen: The Secret Service (2015, dir. by Matthew Vaughn) 1. "Burj Khalifa" - Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011, dir. by Brad Bird) Just watching this will cause viewers to gain sweaty palms and a temporary heart attack. The pacing of this setpiece is absolutely perfect; as Jeremy Renner consistently beats down the time until the mission fails, Tom Cruise perilously hangs from the actual Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It's a now legendary setpiece for a reason, as the scene takes all the beats that go into a full film's plot into a tense, exhilarating nine minutes. Ethan Hunt is given his objective; he protests, but accepts anyway; he is nearly defeated as his glove starts to fail; he achieves a false victory as he reaches the server room; he faces a difficult choice as he figures out how to return to the room; he is given a near defeat when the line is too short; and he finally succeeds, with that iconic beat playing over the soundtrack, and he swings into the room by the tips of his feet. And to round it all off, a humorous remark from Simon Pegg. What more could anyone ask for? Standout Moment: The Glove Fails Category:Top Five